On 16 May 2022, the day of Buddha Jayanti, Nepal opened Gautam Buddha International Airport at Bhairahawa, a few kilometres from Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. It became Nepal's second international airport after Kathmandu, with a first commercial flight arriving from Kuwait.
In short: Nepal's second international airport, Gautam Buddha International Airport, opened at Bhairahawa on 16 May 2022, improving access to Lumbini and western Nepal.
For travellers
The airport serves domestic flights from Kathmandu and some international routes. It is about 30 minutes from Lumbini. See our Lumbini guide and Lumbini day tour.